Ear on Chicago; Heads Up: Nike Defense Installation

She is old, as old as the idea of one man taking arms against his fellow. She saw two great civilizations rise and fall, Greece, then Rome, who worshipped her, thanked her for their fortunes and war. The Greeks thought of her as the daughter of the giant of legend named Palace and Sticks, and she was the dispenser of victory, and in late her Roman times she was called Victoria, who brought her faithful pagan followers the glories of conquest. For centuries after the walls of Rome fell a crumbling she was forgotten, then brought to light as a work of art, a fragmentary statue, a thing of beauty to bring awe to visitors of the Parisian Louvre. Winged victory is the name on the plaque at the base of the statue, and it would seem that her victories would at last lie only in the eyes of admiring artists. Her victories are yet to come, if they come at all, for her name, drawn from the Greek goddess of old, is attached to the most modern, no ultra -modern weapon of defense of which we are allowed to know. Her name, the weapon, N -I

-K -E, Nike. Yes, Nike, winged victory. Now, not a goddess of the ancients, but a protector of the moderns, a pencil -like, finny demon who rules her skies, singing with eyes of radar microwaves, blasting invaders from lofty airborne attacks with a sureness and a swiftness that is chilling. Deadly. For Nike is our last ditch defense. Yes, listen well. Nike is a guided missile which stands between we here in Chicago and certain catastrophe. But that catastrophe could only come if. If somebody on the other side pushed the button. If, by some chance, a high -flying hostile bombers sneak through our wide defense parameters. If our interceptor jets missed contact. Catastrophe could come if Nike missed, but she won't. Why not?

She can't. And here's why. Let's have a little chalk talk for a moment in sound. Nike's eyes are radar. Her intricate mechanism is built around a totally new principle. A true rocket in two stages, Nike is the first operational surface to air guided missile existing to our knowledge. She operates on the command guided system, which means that she can be told what to do, not by men, but by far less fallible means. Radar, a development of the last war, has been developed to a more than exact science. As I said, radar is Nike's eyes. And radar feeds her clear, uncluttered, electronic brains. Listen. That's what the missile men call the AC. The AC acquisition radar.

If a hostile bomber should escape the elaborate network of defenses that surround the nation, and if it should happen to come within target range, AC, the acquisition radar located near Nike's home will pick it up. AC feeds its radar signal to the radar unit, and the chase is on. Now a second radar antenna right on the lakefront along the famed outer drive swings into action. The second radar is called TTR, target tracking radar. Target tracking radar takes over AC's job, locking right onto the hostile bomber, the target. TTR spots the target and never loses sight of it, while AC goes back to its scouting tasks. TTR has the ball now, trailing, watching. Now the target tracking radar sends

a signal to an electronic brain, the computer, details of range, altitude, speed are fed in, keeping a constant wide eyed watch on the hostile plane. And here a third radar eye is focused, not on the target, but on the hunter. On Nike, knows to the sky in her launching cradle. The third radar is called MTR, missile track radar, and MTR is locked on Nike to watch her and to tell her where her quarry is. The two radars, target track radar and missile track radar are working together. And the moment is at hand, the last checks are made, and Nike is poised. Human hands and minds touch her for the last time. From now on, she will be in unairing electronic guidance. The cover is off the firing key. The battery commander pushes it. Now Nike blasts upward, guided

by her radar eyes, the target track radar which shows her target, and the missile tracking radar which follows her, guiding her to the left, the right, up, down, over there, supersonic to the target. Well, that's the theory of Nike. Simplified somewhat, because we don't understand her completely, as her keepers, the missile men do. But she works, and will work for us if she has to, with a devilish sort of accuracy that would make a sharpshooter look like a boy with a toy slingshot. Now let's go out and visit Nike at home, with reporter Hugh Hill and our guide, Colonel Robert Baker. We are now stationed in the center of the radar site of Battery B, of the 485th AAA missile battalion, United States Army. It's located at 23rd street and the outer drive, and it's part of the Chicago Gary Defense Area. Our guide is Colonel Robert W. Baker. Colonel Baker, what is the green tower on our left? The tall

tower to the left is the missile tracking radar antenna. And in the center, you will see another tower, which is the acquisition radar antenna. And to my right, the other tower is the target tracking radar antenna. Now right here in this general area in front of us, Colonel Baker, there are a number of shacks with doors open. What are they? One of them is the batter control van, and the other is the radar control van. To the right there? No, the one in the middle is the radar control van. And over to the right? Right on the right is a maintenance van. Now right here in front of us, what are these generators? These are generators that supplies the power for the cellar. Well now of course the thing that we haven't mentioned and something that I can't even see is the Nike site itself. Where is that? It's not located right here, is it? No, it's not. It's located some 2 ,000 yards down the outer drive at about 23rd

street. And on the beach? On the beach, we have a practice alert. We're going to hear a practice alert now? That's right. Well there's certainly a flurry of activity here, Colonel Baker. What are all the men running for? Where are they going? The men are going now to their battle station. Now could we go to your ready room and listen to what's going on? Yes, I suggest you follow me and we'll go in and tie into the communication setup and you can hear exactly what goes on. This is a battery control officer. Condition of redness is now battle stations. All sections, stations make checks and reports. Roger acquisition sir. Roger the speed operator sir. Roger target tracking radar sir. Roger missile tracking radar

sir. Roger launch control officer sir. Sir, this is the acquisition radar reporting all secure standby and battle station alert checks completed. Sir, this computer operator reporting all secure standby and battle station alert checks completed. Sir, this is a target tracking radar operator reporting all secure standby and battle station alert checks completed. Sir, this is a missile tracking radar reported all secure standby and battle station alert gestion complete, sir. This is bad at control, Roger Radar's. Sir, this is the acquisition radar operator reporting a target located at maximum range. This is bad at control, interrogate the target. Sir, this is the acquisition radar I have interrogated the target. This is bad at control, the target is identified as hostile. Designate target to target tracking radar. Sir, this is the acquisition radar operator reporting target designated. Sir, this is the target tracking radar operator reporting the target tracking

radar. This is locked on the target designated range and is now tracking the target automatically, sir. This is a section chief, prepare for action. This is a senior launcher crewman, raise the missile. Launcher number two, going up. This is a section chief, launcher number two, ready. Launcher control officer. Launcher control officer here. Sir, this is a section B. All crew present in section battle station checks complete. Roger section B, batter control officer. This is a batter control officer. This is a launcher control officer. All crews present in the section room. All secure, standby and battle station checks complete, sir. Roger launcher control officer. This is batter control officer. Condition of readiness is now engaged. Roger acquisition radar, sir. Roger computer operator, sir. Roger target tracking radar, sir. Roger missile tracking radar, sir. Sir, this is the acquisition radar operator reporting all engaged alert checks completed. Sir,

this is the computer operator. Computer condition switches and action. pins to pop the event recorder has been zero set all engage alert checks completed. Sir, this is the target tracking radar operator reporting all engage alert checks completed. Launch control officer. Launch control officer here. Service a section B. I've turned on heaters and gyros. All engaged checks complete, sir. Section B ready to fire. Roger section B. Battery control officer. This is a battery control officer. This is a launch control officer. All engaged checks complete in section B. Launch your area and launch control trailer. Launch an area ready to fire, sir. Roger launch control officer. Battery control officer. This is battery control officer. This is missile tracking operator reporting missile acquired in automatic locked on in automatic. The coastline is out. The noise level is normal. Receiver signal is normal. The pip is sharpened clear.

All engage alert checks complete, sir. May I have your permission to track the missile? This is battery control officer. Track the missile. This is MTI operator reporting missile tracked in automatic. This is a battery control officer. I am going to fire standby for countdown. Five, four, three, two, one, fire. All stations standby for intercept countdown. Five, four, three, two, one, intercept. Target destroyed. Mission completed. The condition of readiness is now secure. All stations acknowledge. Roger acquisition, sir. Roger computer operator. Roger target tracking radar, sir. Roger missile tracking radar, sir. Roger

launch control officer, sir. This is a battery control officer out. That completes the practice alert. I'd like now to introduce you to one of the maintenance men of this battery. Sergeant Mueller, what is your opinion of this system? Will it work? Sir, there's no doubt in my mind because I was responsible for the maintenance of this set when it actually did destroy a radio controlled aircraft. Is this equipment very difficult to maintain? Yes, sir. It's quite a complex system. Actually, I have here a list of just what we do service when we maintain this set. There are approximately 1 ,500 ,000 parts consisting of 217 ,000 feet of conducting wire, 2 ,000 feet of coaxial cable, 2 ,000 vacuum tubes, 12 ,000 resistors, 5 ,000 capacitors,

460 relays and 1 ,250 coils. Well, that does sound like a very complicated piece of equipment to maintain. Well, yes, sir, but not nearly as complicated as it may sound. We have both the men and the best of equipment to keep it in operating condition at all time. From the radar side, we move a thousand yards or so north where we join Hugh Hill and Colonel Baker. Colonel Baker, we've come to the launch area and I suppose the best thing to do is ask you to describe again, which what is located here. First of all, looks like a large number of containers over here. Yes, this is the receiving point for the missiles as they're shipped into us. And then the building to my front here is the missile assembly and checkout building. The launcher

boxes themselves are located toward the lake just a few feet from here. The missile comes in these containers, is that correct? Yes, we can go over here and talk to Sergeant McCuster and he can describe the missile container here. Sergeant, would you tell us about these containers? Yes, sir. The 91 missile is received in the assembly area and it's specially configured container. The container is airtight and also is watertight. It has a pressure of five pounds per square inch when we receive it. It's approximately three feet in diameter. The missile is located in the center of the container on a rack assembly. The entire rack assembly is shock -mounted for the protection of the missile during the shipment. The rack assembly with the missile attached to it is simply pulled out of the hollow container. The missile is removed from the rack and is placed on a missile carriage. And then

what happens? Then the missile is taken into the assembly building where we make our test and preparation. Sergeant, let's go into the building here and as we walk in directly in front of us is the Nike, I suppose. Yes, sir. This is the assembly and service building. It's a fireproof building approximately 30 by 45 feet in size. In this building the Nike missile is checked out, tested both mechanically and electrically. The first step in the preparation is to inspect the missile visually for scratches, dens, and accessories. Every screw nut and bolt must be tightened to a definite torque and value. Air pressure is utilized to test the fuel tanks, lines, and valves throughout the missile for a possible lease. The next the missile undergoes an electrical radio frequency test to check the operation of the electrical components aboard the missile. The Nike one missile now completed its initial checkout. It will be pressurized with high -pressure air and moved to the joining and fueling area.

That's where we go next then. Yes, sir. We are now in the fueling area. Lieutenant, can you tell us what takes place in this area? So this is the area in which the Nike one missile is joined to the boost and launch and rail and the fuel and oxidizer place aboard the missile. What kind of fuel do you use in the missile? The fuel is a low -grade carousine and the oxidizer is a caustic acid. By using that acid you probably need special equipment. Yes, we have specially designed protective clothing. Here we have a set of the protective clothing. A set of rubber gloves to protect the man's hand from the oxidizer. A hood with a visible face piece where the man can see through that covers his head. A pair of heavy rubber boots to take his feet. We have a rubberized acid resistant

suit that the man wears over his complete body. And in addition we have a turkey stalling affair that goes on the outside to more less air condition the man while he's working. It's quite hot inside the suit and this turkey stalling thing on the outside when it's wet down with water keeps him cool in the summertime. The entire suit is constructed a rubberized acid resistant material. Why do you have this earth berm around this area? Sir, the berm is round the field in the area for the protection of the surrounding area in the event of acid spill or fine. Where do you store your acids? The acid is stored in the fireproof shelter which is completely free of organic materials. All explosives are stored below ground thereby eliminating any safety hazards to the community. Do you join the missile here with the booster? Yes sir.

The missile is joined to the booster on the launching rail. It is in field and oxidized and ready for transport to the underground storage section for final preparation of the missile. Well that's fine. Now can we move to the underground magazine? Yes sir. We are standing now in a place that is probably more impressive than even the launching platforms above. We are underground in a sort of odd place to find supersonic flying missiles but here they are in a large concrete dugout room called the magazine. The elevator which we heard on the way down has returned to its up position making that loud clang as the locking bars drove home and now the flooring of the elevator becomes the central part of the roof. We see a crew of missile men at their regular tasks cleaning the already spotless room. Arranged in orderly rows and covered with white zippered nylon covers the missiles themselves lie to the right and

left of the elevator platform upon which they can be rolled for transport to the launcher above. The missiles are ready with the full load of fuel and deadly warheads. Over 30 feet in length each missile lies on the rack complete with its booster charge. Large barrel -like finned extensions which contain the rocket charge that boosts the missile high into the air at which time the booster falls away leaving the missile to continue toward the target under its own rocket motors. I'm told that this booster destroys itself after its work is done and that there is very little left of it to fall and injure anything below. But here in Chicago the booster would fall into lake -mishing in any way. On the far left of the magazine room there is a metal door that leads to the firing console room and we're only able to guess what an array of instruments stand in there. There's a trap door that opens downward from the launcher area above down a steep ladder into the firing console compartment where all seven members

of the launching crew must be before the section chief turns his four colored keys in the control panel, arming the missile and putting it at the disposal of the fire control officer who is above ground a safe distance away. The men down here are on a constant alert both for a warning to go into action and to watch for possible leaks of the highly volatile rocket fuel and drippings of the deadly acid which is part of Nike's propellant charge. You will notice in each corner of the magazine a shower this is a safety feature in case anyone happens to spill any acid on them. They can duck right under the shower and wash it off and no damage to them. Thank you Colonel. This is a very impressive display and it almost sends chills down my spine thinking of the power that we see down here. The missiles they are ready to go at a moment's notice filled with explosives and fuel plus something that comes close to being mines of their own. Let's get on the elevator and go above ground again.

We're at the launching site now and the Nike is set in place and we're going to hear some conversation between the corporal here and a man somewhere else over what they call a squawk box. Let's listen. One alert, seven equipment prepared to check out Nike round. Check missile battery. When he said check missile battery there's a man over there punching a lot of switches. What does that mean? On board the missile we have battery for internal power we're checking the power to that battery. I see. Designate launcher two. Roger launcher two designated. Roger launcher.

Slow gyro. Roger. No slow repot. Roger. Cage. Check slew. Roger. Repeat slew. Roger. Roger. No slow repot. Roger. Check y 'all. Check pitch. Climb to the left. Check row. Climb in a clockwise row. Final check. Climb in a clockwise row. Check out completed. Section. Section here. All secured checks complete. Roger. Section here. All yellow alert checks complete. Roger. Section here. Roger. Launcher number two prepared. Roger.

Captain I understand now that they're through with all their checks and they're ready to raise the Nike. Is that right? That's right sir. Let's listen to that. I want made launcher. That's the sound of the Nike being put in place to fire. When it will end up the sound you'll hear the end of the sound and it will then be in place. It will be sticking straight up in the air ready to fire. This is the site which many people have probably seen. Perhaps they haven't heard the sound right along the outer drive along 22nd Street. And now the Nike is set in place aimed straight up in the air and ready to fire. Now here is the commanding officer

of the Chicago Gary anti -aircraft defenses Colonel Arthur Kramer. The sounds you have just heard are the sounds of preparedness of defense. They are sounds which may be heard any hour of any day in and around Chicago or in the vicinity of any of our major metropolitan complexes. The people you have heard are members of your army engaged in your defense. In this process they are faced by a challenge never before presented to your army either in peace or war. The challenge of carrying on their normal daily jobs right in John public's backyard. Please try to remember that they are on site for your good, not theirs. That they are on the job 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 52 weeks a year, holidays and other amenities of the contrary notwithstanding. We ask that you accept us as the neighbors and protectors we are and try to be. The equipment you have heard in action is of the latest type available and

represents the best efforts of American scientific, industrial and military thinking. It is a dynamic system in that it possesses the potential to meet new threats as they develop. Let me assure you that your army and its scientific backers are constantly improving the system as new enemy capabilities arise. As a parting word I should like to hope that we are affecting a sort of balance. In other words to compensate for the sleep we lose in our constant state of alert we hope that the people we are defending rest and sleep easier with the thought that their anti -aircraft defenses are always watching.